Apparatuses and methods for detecting an analyte

Abstract

A method and apparatus for detecting an analyte includes a sensor chamber for detecting an analyte, an analyte feed chamber, a distributor, and a controller for controlling the transport medium flow. The distributor includes an annular channel with four connections with a switchable isolating device between two connections. The controller controls the distributor for flushing the transport medium fed from the distributor to the sensor chamber without passing through the analyte feed chamber and for measuring the transport medium fed from the distributor to the sensor chamber while passing through the analyte feed chamber.

1. Analysis apparatus, comprising
 a) a sensor chamber with a sensor for detecting an analyte in a transport medium, 
 b) an analyte feed chamber for receiving the analyte in the transport medium, 
 c) a distributor in flow communication with the sensor chamber and the analyte feed chamber, and 
 d) a control means for controlling a transport medium flow, wherein the distributor comprises: 
 (c1) an annular channel with four connections arranged spaced apart from one another, characterised in that 
 (c2) the distributor includes in each case a switchable isolating means between two adjacent connections, 
 and the control means is configured to control the distributor in such a way that
 for the flushing, the transport medium is fed from the distributor to the sensor chamber without first passing through the analyte feed chamber, and 
 for the measurement, the transport medium is fed from the distributor to the sensor chamber after passing through the analyte feed chamber. 
 
 
     
     
       2. Analysis apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein each of the switchable isolating means between two adjacent connections is a valve that can be switched by pressure of a control fluid or magnetically. 
     
     
       3. Analysis apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the sensor is selected from the group consisting of an electrochemical or optical sensor. 
     
     
       4. Analysis apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the analyte feed chamber is connected to a medium to be analysed via a membrane which permits the passage of the analyte from the medium to be analysed into the transport medium. 
     
     
       5. Analysis apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the sensor chamber and the distributor are contained in a unitary structural body. 
     
     
       6. Analysis apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the sensor chamber contains two, three or more sensors. 
     
     
       7. Analysis apparatus according to  claim 1 , characterised in that the analyte feed chamber contains one, two, three or more sensors. 
     
     
       8. Analysis method using the analysis apparatus of  claim 1 , comprising pumping a transport medium by means of a pump in a pumping direction, comprising the following steps:
 rinsing the sensor for the substance to the analysed with the transport medium in a first flow direction, wherein the transport medium after the rinsing of the sensor is passed to the analyte feed chamber; 
 charging the transport medium in the analyte feed chamber with an amount of the analyte to be detected, and 
 without switching the pumping direction, reversing the flow direction of the transport medium in order to convey the transport medium, possibly charged with analyte, from the analyte feed chamber to the sensor. 
 
     
     
       9. A method for determining an analyte concentration in a transport medium, the method comprising passing the transport medium and analyst through the apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the analyst is selected from the group consisting of glucose, sucrose, glycerol, methanol, glutamine, glutamate, phosphate, lactate, lactose, ammonium, ethanol, an antibody, pesticide, antibiotic, protein content, fat content, water content, pO 2 , pCO 2  and pH. 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 8 , further comprising determining an analyte concentration of glucose, sucrose, glycerol, methanol, glutamine, glutamate, phosphate, lactate, lactose, ammonium, ethanol, an antibody, pesticide, antibiotic, protein content, fat content, water content, pO 2 , pCO 2  and/or pH.